


Ever Yours, Signed with Love

by silver_fish



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas carolling, F/F, Fluff, Gift Exchange, Merry Christmas!, Mistletoe, Pining, bc theyre SWEET AF get it, no idols au, pianist!kanan, they make chocolates together, tooth-rotting fluff my god, you better naruto voice BELIEVE IT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-11 09:58:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12932844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_fish/pseuds/silver_fish
Summary: When their friends decide to draw names for a gift exchange, Kanan sees pulling Chika's name as something of an opportunity.Unfortunately, she's not sure if she is quite as good atseizingthat opportunity as she would like to think she is.





	Ever Yours, Signed with Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greedlings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greedlings/gifts).



> josie let me first say: i am so, so sorry things turned out like this LMAO i'm sure i am the Last person you wanted to be your secret santa for this exchange, but i really had a lot of fun sending you anons and seeing your responses. it was hard to keep my cover, especially since you were so excited about this person (i'm so sorry oh my god), but i hope i succeeded!! despite all this, i was so hyped to get to write this fic for you, and i had a lot of fun! :') i'm glad that, even though i didn't pull your name this year, i still got to give you a gift! you're one of my best friends ever and i'm so blessed to have you in my life. thank you for sticking with me this year, and here's to the next! i love you. merry christmas <3

Kanan has never considered herself as an overly distracted person.

Like, she has her moments, sure, but she’s quite grounded, overall. It’s something she’s been heavily praised for over the years. Her dedication to music, her dad’s shop, and her friends, and the level-headedness which she brings to these things, have always made people see her as sturdy and mature, the perfect person to go to for advice.

But, in all honesty, Kanan is pretty easily distracted.

Not by a lot of things, but…

It’s always _Chika_.

When Chika talks. When Chika smiles. When Chika laughs. When Chika waves her arms enthusiastically about something she really, _really_ likes, and accidentally hits You with an intensely excitable force.

There are about three people in Kanan’s life that don’t really let her forget these facts.

The first is You, who has unfortunately been witness to Kanan’s messy form of pining for the past three years.

The second is Mari, who really just likes to tease Kanan.

And the third is Dia, who seems to think that she can offer Kanan advice good enough to get her together with Chika for once and for all.

Well, Kanan has never _said_ she’s in love, but the others seem to be pretty convinced of it.

It’s Dia that makes the suggestion.

“We don’t all need gifts from each other,” she points out. “Kanan-san, you can ask Chika-san and You-san, too.”

But their little exchange quickly goes from a five-person thing to a nine-person one.

“We can’t leave Riko-chan out,” You insists. “She’s shy, but she’s our friend, so we should include her if we can.”

“Ruby begged me,” Dia says. “I can’t say no to her, but...just so you know, there’s no way I’m _not_ buying her a Christmas gift, even if I don’t get her name.”

But wherever Ruby goes, Yoshiko and Hanamaru are sure to follow.

Which is how this all lead up to the nine of them in the sitting room of the Kurosawas’ home, sat around a bowl of little slips of paper—nine, to be exact, one for each person’s name.

“So, who pulls first, then?” Kanan asks, dubious.

The nine girls look to each other, appearing a little lost.

Finally, Mari beams, and says, “You, Kanan!”

Kanan starts. “What? Why?”

“Because you spoke first,” Mari explains. “Come on, come on, we’re burning daylight here!”

Kanan glances around the circle, uncertain, and then leans forward to draw a name from the bowl.

She takes the folded slip of paper, then takes a deep breath and opens it up.

She blinks.

 _Chika_.

What are the chances? Of all of them...

“Who is it?” Mari asks excitedly.

Dia hits her arm, scowling. “She can’t tell you, idiot!”

Kanan laughs, folding the slip of paper back up. “That’s right,” she says. “It’s a surprise.”

Mari pouts.

“You next, Mari-san,” Dia urges.

Mari doesn’t need another word to spur her forward, and she dives for the pull, digging through the slips until she finds one she feels satisfied with, then pulls it out and opens it up with a very important air to her.

“Oh,” she says, looking up with a grin, “this is wonderful!”

Her English rings loudly through the room, and everyone either laughs or rolls their eyes.

“Okay, Dia-san,” Chika encourages. “You next!”

Dia nods, reaching a quick hand into the bowl and then taking it back, severely lacking the grandiose that Mari brought upon herself to reflect in her choosing. She opens the paper up, eyes scanning over it, then folds it again, and nods for them to continue.

“You-chan!” Chika cries.

You beams, nodding quickly, then reaches forward to take her own name.

Next is Riko, and then Chika encourages Yoshiko to choose.

Then Hanamaru.

And Ruby.

And, finally, Chika takes the leftover name for herself. Kanan watches, entranced, as the girl excitedly read it over, then folds it back up again and smiles at the rest of the room.

“Did you get someone good, Chikacchi?” Mari prompts.

“Anybody in this room would be good!” Chika insists. “And, anyway, I—”

“You can’t buy gifts for everybody,” You interrupts, the ghost of a laugh lingering in her voice. “That’s the idea, Chika-chan. Just one gift for each of us, right?”

Chika frowns. “But—”

“That’s right,” Dia speaks up. “But if you really wanted to give the rest of us something really small, be my guest. Just don’t spend money on more than one of us, right?”

Chika still looks hesitant, though.

“Well, this is good,” Kanan speaks up. “We’ll be able to get together around the holidays and exchange our gifts, right?”

“Yeah, of course. We can come back here.” Dia stands up, brushing her pants off. “Do you guys want some tea? Ruby’s been baking cookies, too. We can share those.”

Everyone nods their agreement, and then Ruby and Dia head off towards the kitchen to get the tea and cookies.

“So?” Mari asks, looking over the other six still in the room. “Who got me, then?”

Kanan laughs. “Mari, don’t be ridiculous. We can’t tell you.”

Mari pouts at her. “But—!”

“That’s the fun of it,” Chika agrees. “The surprise! And you get to, like, send letters and stuff, right? Leave secret little notes? And then the rest of us have to guess!”

“What if I start guessing now?” Mari presses.

“Well, you have a one in eight chance of being right,” Riko offers.

“That ruins the fun, though,” You points out. “Mari-san, you could use this opportunity to sharpen your detective skills!”

“Detective skills?”

“Yeah!” You beams. “It’ll be fun! And maybe you’ll be right, too. That would be pretty cool, right?”

Mari thinks about it for a moment, then nods. “Yes,” she says, with an awfully dramatic air. “Yes, that’s true. Detective Mari!” she cries. “It has such a nice ring to it!”

You chuckles. “It does,” she agrees. “You should get a badge, like, engraved with your name and stuff!”

Mari opens her mouth to say something, but is swiftly interrupted as Dia and Ruby return with platters of tea and cookies.

“So, when should we get together again?” Dia wonders as she pours out nine cups of tea with an impressive efficiency.

Well, it’s the first week of December now, Kanan thinks, so…

“The weekend before Christmas?” she suggests.

Dia nods, thoughtful. “That should work,” she agrees. “Ruby and I will try to plan something fun out for then, so we aren’t just exchanging gifts and then leaving.”

Everyone in the room is quick to agree, and the conversation quickly derails from Christmas as they chat over their tea and cookies.

Kanan looks to her slip of paper again.

It’s cutely stylized, really. Chika’s written her name out in English, and put a heart down beside it. Kanan has always thought that Chika’s handwriting is quite adorable.

She lets out a small sigh.

 _It’ll be easy_ , she tells herself.

She looks up and around at her friends. Her eyes catch Chika’s, and Chika smiles at her. The look is so bright, so very _Chika_ , that Kanan thinks her heart might burst.

Well, the two-second lie was nice while it lasted, at least.

* * *

“She’ll totally recognize my writing.”

Dia frowns down at the piece of paper Kanan is looking at. “What if you write it in a different colour?”

Kanan looks up at her, incredulous. “That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Well, she also knows your least favourite colour, right? So, write it in that. She’ll think, ‘this looks like Kanan-chan’s writing, but there’s no way she would ever write in…’”

“Pink,” Kanan supplies.

“Right. So, write it in pink.”

Kanan thinks about it for a moment, then sighs and nods. “Fine. Do you have a pink pen?”

“Ruby might. Let me look.”

Dia turns away to hunt down a pen, leaving Kanan at the table with just the piece of paper and her thoughts. Really, she knows Dia means well, but she’s not sure if the girl really knows how to handle situations like this. She’s trying, though, and that’s all Kanan can really say. Not to mention, she was the only person Kanan felt confident wouldn’t accidentally let slip to Mari the fact that Kanan is Chika’s secret Santa.

Well, it’s nothing against Mari, really, but if there’s anybody’s advice Kanan _doesn’t_ want, it’s hers.

Dia returns in ample time, a smug look on her face and a bright pink pen in her hand.

“It’s a gel pen,” she says grandly, setting it on the table beside the black pen she had fished up earlier for Kanan to use. “It sparkles when you use it!”

“Will that distract from the familiar writing?” Kanan wonders.

“It might,” Dia says. She sits down to Kanan’s left and looks at Kanan’s hands, as if expecting them to already be moving. “So?” she asks, lifting her eyes to Kanan’s face. “What are you going to write?”

Kanan hesitantly grabs the pen, uncapping it and positioning it over the paper, then sticks her tongue out in thought.

She could say anything, really.

_Chika, it’s your secret Santa! Also, I love you! Merry Christmas!_

No, she decides. That won’t work at all.

 _Dear Chika,_ she writes, and then suddenly there is a hand snagging the pen away from her, and Dia is holding the utensil firmly, _glaring_ at Kanan, as if she has done something _wrong_.

“What?” she demands. “It’s _my_ letter!”

“And you’re going to start it with ‘Dear Chika’? You’re her friend, not her _employer_.”

“That doesn’t even make sense!” Kanan protests.

From behind Dia, Kanan sees Ruby peek around the corner to look at them. When she sees Kanan looking, though, she gives a squeak and _attempts_ to run away, but Dia whirls around and cries, “Ruby!” causing the girl to stop in her tracks.

“Help us,” Dia pleads.

Ruby slowly turns around, eyes narrowed in thought, then nods and approaches the table. Wordlessly, Dia hands her the pen and slides the paper towards her, watching with bated breath.

Kanan honestly doesn’t think that Ruby could write a better letter to _Kanan’s_ best friend than _Kanan herself_ could, but she has no choice but to simply trust Dia for the time being, she supposes.

Ruby inspects the paper for a very long stretch of time, then looks to Kanan and asks, “What do you want to say?”

“I don’t know,” she says, frustrated. “That’s the problem.”

“No, she means what kind of message to you want to come across,” Dia informs her. “Not the exact words. Just, in the simplest terms, what do you want to tell Chika-san?”

“Oh.” Kanan taps a finger against the table, pondering. “Er, well, I want her to know I’m excited to be her secret Santa. And, ah…”

“You’re madly in love with her,” Dia says smartly.

“N-no!” Kanan looks away, cheeks burning something fierce. “That’s not what I want to say at all!”

“How’s this?” Ruby asks suddenly, writing out a couple more characters with flourish, then pushing the paper back to Kanan.

“Ruby, you’re incredible,” Dia coos. “You got that done so fast!”

Kanan doesn’t watch for Ruby’s response, instead fixated entirely on the letter before her.

_Dear Chika,_

_This is your secret Santa! I was so happy to pull your name, and I’m excited to spoil you with gifts this holiday season. There are many things I hope we can learn about each other through this experience!_ _♡_

_Ever Yours,  
Your secret Santa_

“Sp-spoil you with gifts…,” Kanan manages.

Ruby tilts her head slightly, inquisitive. “Is that not what you’re planning to do?”

“W-well, I don’t know! I don’t even know what to get her yet!”

“Start small,” Dia suggests. “Like, candy and stuff. Chocolates. Jewelry?”

Kanan stares at her. “ _Jewelry_?”

“I mean like cute earrings and stuff,” Dia says. “Nothing too fancy. Just things she would like, all leading up to whatever your big gift for her will be.”

“I—I see,” Kanan says weakly. “Then, this should be fine, right? It solves the writing issue, too. Thank you, Ruby-chan.”

Ruby smiles and nods at her. “Any time!” she chirps, then stands and quickly makes her way out of the room.

Kanan reads the letter over again, heart pounding. “So,” she says slowly, “I should start small? With...what? Like, flowers?”

“Flowers die,” Dia reminds her. “But chocolate is eternal.”

Kanan looks up at her, eyebrows knit together. “Are...you sure about that?”

“Well, not eternal,” Dia amends. “In my experience, they typically last between fifteen minutes to two days. Depends how much you’re buying, really.”

“Well, I’m sure she would want to share with her sisters,” Kanan muses. “And maybe Riko and You, too…”

“What about you?”

“W-well, that wouldn’t be very fair,” Kanan says. “I mean, if I buy them for her…”

“But she won’t know they’re from you,” Dia reminds her.

“Right…”

“I’m sure she’ll love whatever you do,” Dia insists. “You’re her best friend, right? You know her better than any of us. Trust yourself, Kanan-san.”

Kanan lets out a whistling breath between her teeth. “Yeah,” she says. “That’s right… You’re right. Thank you.”

Dia offers her a smile. “Now, go on, then! Go buy those chocolates! I’ll be waiting to hear all about it later, okay?”

Kanan folds the letter carefully, then nods and gets to her feet. “Okay,” she says, voice stronger. “I’m going, then. Thanks for your help. And Ruby-chan, too. I’ll do my best.”

“That’s the spirit!” Dia cheers, standing up beside Kanan. “You know where to find me whenever you need my guidance.”

She leads Kanan to the door, and they say their farewells quickly. Once Kanan is outside, the chilled December air biting at her, she takes a deep breath and begins to mentally prepare herself for what’s to come.

First, though, she has to buy a box of chocolates.

* * *

Kanan learned to play piano when she was a kid.

She liked it well enough, but she never got to practice at home, because they couldn’t really afford to just _buy_ a piano. Instead, she would practice at You’s house, because You’s parents often aren’t around, but her dad used to be a pretty spectacular pianist, apparently. The grand piano in You’s home is like something out of one of Kanan’s dreams.

So, even now, seventeen years old, every time she’s at You’s house, she just likes to play the piano.

Typically, it is just Kanan, You, and Chika in these circumstances.

“My secret Santa left these for me at school yesterday,” Chika explains, setting a box of chocolates on the table. “I guess she must’ve asked someone to figure out my favourite kind! But there are a lot, so I thought, well, You-chan and Kanan-chan like them, too, so I brought them over!” She beams, and Kanan tries very, very hard not to let her face betray any of her thoughts.

“That’s so cool!” You enthuses. “She must be really excited to buy you gifts if you’ve already gotten one!”

“Yeah!” Chika agrees. “She left a note, too, that said exactly that. I can’t wait to find out who it is. I don’t want to spoil it for myself or anything, though. I’m sure, in such a small group, it’s going to be really hard to keep our identities a secret.”

“Who did you get, anyway?” You asks.

“That’s a secret!”

You laughs. “Well, that’s too bad. I was thinking of asking someone for some help, because I’m not sure what to get for my person.”

Kanan taps one of the piano’s keys, listening to the instrument’s intonation.

“Hey, Chika,” she says suddenly.

Chika looks up at her, eyes wide. “Yes?”

“Give me a Christmas song.”

Chika exchanges an excited look with You, then thinks about the question for a moment. “Ah, Jingle Bells!”

Kanan turns to the piano, thinking hard. She can play a lot of things from memory, but she’s not sure if she quite remembers this one. Still, Chika and You won’t care if she plays a few wrong notes, so she takes a deep breath and positions her hands over the keys, then begins to play.

As she does, Chika leaps to her feet and comes to stand by the piano. Kanan looks up at her, smiling, and plays a few wrong notes in quick succession as she loses her focus. Chika giggles, and Kanan tries not to let her embarrassment show, and then, suddenly—

“ _Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! ~”_

Chika is singing, and if Kanan thought her concentration was slipping before, it is about ten times worse, now.

Chika is a pretty good singer. All her years of frequent karaoke have certainly paid off, but Kanan secretly thinks Chika’s probably just good at it naturally.

“ _Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh! ~”_

Kanan focusses on her hands, pressing her lips together firmly in concentration.

“ _Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! ~”_

You is still sat by the table, but she is clapping and cheering them on. They come to the climax of the song together, and then they come back down from it, finishing on a sustained note, and then turning to look at each other, wearing matching grins.

“Encore!” You cries.

Kanan tears her gaze away from Chika’s so that she can look at You. “Any requests?” she asks.

You nods, then holds up her phone. “I made a list,” she declares. “We could be here all day!”

Kanan laughs. “I can’t promise I can play all of them, but let me see, then.”

You stands and hands Kanan her phone, allowing her to look through the list. Chika peers over her shoulder, looking as if she is thinking very hard. Then, suddenly, she throws her hand forward, and—

Hits Kanan in the face.

Kanan drops You’s phone in shock, and You lets out a yelp, diving for the device. Chika looks at her hand, then to Kanan, mortified.

“I’m so sorry!” she cries. “Are you okay, Kanan-chan?”

You looks up at them from the floor, breathing out a sigh of relief.

“I’m fine,” Kanan says, touching her cheek gingerly. “How did you even manage that?”

Chika laughs sheepishly and, to Kanan’s disappointment, takes a step back. “I don’t know,” she admits. “I guess I’m just clumsy.”

Kanan laughs softly, while You lets out a snort of laughter.

“Well, we knew that,” You says teasingly.

“We really ought to be Chika-proofed by now,” Kanan jokes.

Chika giggles. “That may be true,” she allows. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay, at least, Kanan-chan.”

She smiles, that bright, so very _Chika_ smile, and Kanan’s heart is beating _way_ too fast, surely—maybe Chika can even hear it from where she stands—but she cannot bring herself to look away, captivated by Chika’s golden aura, her angelic pull. Her lips, pulled up in cheer, are all Kanan can see, and she thinks.

She thinks.

She thinks.

And then You says, “My phone’s okay, too.”

Kanan blinks, inhaling sharply, then turns back to look at You, disoriented. She had forgotten You was there at all, in the span of just a couple seconds, so engrossed in her thoughts of Chika, of Chika’s lips, of _kissing_ Chika as she was.

“I’m glad,” Chika says, and her voice is oddly high, almost as if she is embarrassed by something.

When Kanan looks back at her, though, there is no indication that anything is wrong at all.

“Yeah,” You says. “Me too. So…are you still up for an encore? Maybe I’ll record it this time!”

Kanan takes a moment to process these words, still foggy from everything that just happened, and then feels her cheeks heat up for an entirely new reason.

“N-no way!” she protests, but, behind her, Chika cries, “That would be so cool, You-chan!”

There is silence for a moment, and then all three of them burst into laughter.

“Then, I won’t this time,” You says, standing and brushing her pants off. She winks at Kanan. “No promises about _next_ time, though.”

“That’s so embarrassing,” Kanan complains.

“But wouldn’t it be really neat to have?” Chika presses. “And look back on? We could do this every year!”

Kanan’s lips twitch slightly. “Well, maybe a bit,” she allows. “But at least let me figure out what I’m playing first.”

“Is that a yes, then?!” You asks, bouncing on the ball of her feet excitedly.

“Tentatively,” Kanan decides.

You and Chika cheer.

Kanan’s chest feels very light, and she cannot help the smile that pulls at her lips.

Regardless of how she feels about Chika, she can always count on this, she thinks.

* * *

“Is this good?” Riko asks.

Kanan takes the piece of paper from her, looking it over, and then smiles. “Yeah,” she says, looking up to Riko. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

After Ruby wrote her first letter, Kanan figured that the best way to keep Chika off her tail was to have other people write her letters. Thankfully, Riko was happy to help, in exchange for some help about what she should buy for Mari.

“What do you buy for a girl who either has everything already or has enough money to buy whatever else she wants?” Riko anxiously spewed to her over the phone earlier.

Kanan had just laughed, though. “I’ll help you,” she promised. “Mari is surprisingly easy to please.”

“You know,” Riko says, “I’ve never really talked to you much, Kanan-san. Chika-chan speaks the world of you, though.”

Kanan looks down at the letter, suddenly unable to meet Riko’s eyes. “Y…yeah?” she asks faintly.

“Well, You-chan, too, but it’s different with Chika-chan… The way she talks about you, it’s like you hung the stars in her sky. Honestly, it made me a little jealous at first, but then I talked to You-chan about it, and I came to understand that it’s not a reflection on our relationship at all. I always did wonder, though, what it was that made Chika-chan so fond of you. I hope we can get to know each other a bit better, Kanan-san. I see you so often, but we aren’t exactly friends…”

“I see.” Kanan presses her lips together, thinking. “Chika and You speak highly of you, too.”

Riko just laughs, though. “Oh, no, trust me when I say it’s nothing compared to how Chika-chan talks about you. Now, you said you had a list for me, right?”

Kanan blinks up at her, shocked, and then registers the rest of her words and hastens to grab the list she compiled earlier and pass it over to Riko, who takes it graciously, scanning it over quickly.

“It’s all...really regular stuff,” she says, surprised.

“I know she doesn’t seem like it, but Mari really is just a normal person,” Kanan says. “She likes gifts like these because they sort of show that you were thinking of her, and not her financial status. That’s how she’s been since we were kids.”

“Wow,” Riko breathes. “Okay. Thank you, Kanan-san.”

“Yeah, no problem.” Kanan tries for a smile. “I have to get going. I promised Dia and Mari I would drop off some baking this afternoon.”

Riko nods. “Thank you, again. I hope that letter works for you.”

“It will,” Kanan promises. “Thank you. I’ll see you around, Riko-san. Oh, and…it’s not much, but I do have some leftovers baking, so…” She digs through her bag and takes the small bag of extra cookies she threw together earlier, with the knowledge she would be stopping by here. “Have a good day, Riko-san.”

Riko smiles at her. “Thanks. You too.”

Kanan waves in farewell, then shows herself out.

The rest of her afternoon is spent running errands. She stops by Dia’s, then Mari’s, where she picks up a box of various foreign cookies and biscuits that Mari picked up in Tokyo for her the other day that she’ll find a way to sneak into Chika’s room at some point this week, along with the letter Riko has kindly penned for her.

It’s a little more in-depth than the last one, and, this time, Kanan actually did come up with the words herself.

_Dear Chika,_

_I was so glad to hear you enjoyed the chocolates I left you with. I chose something I knew you liked, but this time, I wanted you to try something new—and I hope that you’ll share these, too, just like you did with the chocolates. After all, there’s nothing I enjoy more than sharing time with you. I may be exposing myself a bit here, but I want you to know that these gifts come from someone who loves you greatly, and cherishes all of her time with you. There are many things I wish to say to you through this time, but, for now, only halfway through the month as we are, I’ll leave it as this. I hope you enjoy this gift!_

_Ever Yours,  
Your secret Santa_

Though the “ever yours” may have been the cheesiest part of Ruby’s letter, Kanan thought it was rather sweet, and she thought it might be nice to include in the rest of her letters. Really, it’s the truth—she can’t imagine ever _not_ being Chika’s. Chika’s best friend. Chika’s closest confidant. Chika’s...whatever else she may be. It doesn’t matter. All she knows is that she’s always going to be by Chika’s side, and _nothing_ will change that.

By the time Kanan gets home, she feels exhausted from the long day, but she focusses her time on meticulously wrapping the box of treats Mari purchased for her, then seals the letter in an envelope and tapes it on top of the gift.

Maybe she is spoiling Chika, just as Ruby said she would, but the satisfaction Kanan is getting from this is incomparable to anything else she’s ever felt. She can imagine Chika’s surprised yet happy smile as she finds the gift perfectly, and she can imagine Chika testing the contents of the box out, eating slowly to savour the taste, her lips moving adorably as she chews the food…

Her lips.

Her _lips_.

Kanan has been unable to keep them out of her thoughts since that day at You’s. Obviously, she’s thought about kissing Chika before, but she’s never been so close to actually _doing it_. She wonders what would’ve happened if You hadn’t interrupted, and then abruptly cuts herself, annoyed for imagining _what-if_ scenarios.

Kanan knows the past can’t be changed.

She simply has the present.

She looks down at her gift, feeling quite satisfied with it.

The present.

She will absolutely make the most of it.

* * *

She is terrible at making the most of it.

It _haunts_ her, honestly, and after she knows the letter and gift have safely reached Chika, she nearly has a full-blown breakdown over it.

“It was too personal,” she frets to Dia. “She’s going to know it was me, and I _basically_ confessed to her.”

“Did you really, though?” Dia asks. “You might be overreacting a bit.”

Well, _obviously_ she’s overreacting, and it’s not just “a bit.” She’s overreacting a lot, in fact.

But _still_.

“I shouldn’t be trying to confess to her like this,” she insists. “It’s wrong. I just want her to have a merry Christmas. Who cares what I feel for her?”

“You should care,” Dia tells her. “And she probably cares, too. The rest of us care. Why wouldn’t we? And I know you think your feelings are unrequited, but maybe they aren’t. You won’t know until you try. Isn’t that a good way to end the year, anyway? Getting these feelings off your chest?”

Kanan is quiet, trying to process the words.

And then her phone beeps, alerting her that someone else is calling.

“I have to go,” she says hastily. “Thank you, Dia. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure!”

Before Dia can even say good-bye, Kanan takes the other call.

“Hello?”

“Kanan-chan?”

Dread fills Kanan’s chest.

Briefly, she toys with the idea of hanging up, but then decides that that would be _really_ uncool of her, and so she takes a deep, steeling breath and says, “Hey, Chika.”

“Are you busy?”

Kanan’s pulse pounds. “Nope,” she says quickly. “Not at all. Is something up?”

“Not really,” Chika admits. “I’m just sort of bored, I guess. And...my secret Santa left me something, but it’s so big. I wanted to share with you! So...do you want to go for a walk?”

Kanan stares at her wall, as if it is going to talk to her.

There is silence for a very long time, and then a worried, “...Kanan-chan?”

“Y-yeah, sorry,” Kanan manages. “I…got distracted by something. I would love to go for a walk with you. Where should we meet?”

Chika relays the details of the plan she’s been concocting, and then Kanan gives her affirmation that she’ll be there before hanging up and getting ready to go.

It’s about the middle of December, and it hasn’t snowed yet, but Kanan has a really good feeling that it will soon. The weather is quite cold, and she bundles herself up with a heavy winter coat, scarf, gloves, and boots. She considers her hair briefly, then decides to let it out of its ponytail and run a brush through it hurriedly before stepping out into the winter air.

The cold has never bothered her very much, but the weather has been slightly odd this year, she supposes. The summer heat has continued to chase them all the way into the last breaths of autumn, and now, though it is only barely in the double digits of the negatives, it feels achingly cold.

She meets Chika somewhere between their respective homes, and Chika greets her with a smile that could warm the coldest winter day, surely.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Chika says brightly. “Here, this way!”

Kanan blinks, then nods slowly and follows Chika as she excitedly makes her way down the path she indicated.

“Where are we going?” she calls, but Chika says nothing, simply continuing to lead her along until they come to an empty bus stop, where Chika urges her to sit at the bench.

“I didn’t really want to go for a walk,” Chika confesses, sitting down beside her.

Kanan glances down at the box of biscuits and cookies in Chika’s lap, then up to Chika’s eyes, frowning. “I don’t understand.”

Chika’s cheeks are pink from the cold, already, but Kanan doesn’t think she imagines the slight deepening of the colour.

“I just wanted to spend the time with you,” Chika says, and she looks down at her lap hurriedly, not even sparing a glance to Kanan’s face. “Alone, I mean.”

A small gasp falls from Kanan’s lips, a white cloud before her in the cold.

Chika still does not look at her.

She manages a laugh. “Silly Chika. You can always spend time with me, alone or not. I would never say no.”

Chika still does not look at her.

Her laugh fades away completely, lost to the winter wind.

“Chika?”

“I got scared,” Chika says quietly. Her hands ball into fists, positioned over the box of treats. “I thought you might say no. I…”

“That’s ridiculous,” Kanan says softly. “Honestly. Chika, look at me.”

Chika does.

Her eyes gleam with a hesitation that Kanan doesn’t think she’s ever seen before. Well, maybe a couple times—like when Kanan first taught her to swim, or the first time she ever sang in front of a crowd—but still...it is somehow painful to know that Chika looks like this _because of Kanan_.

“Have I ever said no to you?” Kanan asks. “No part of me ever wants to. I love these moments we spend together, more than anything else. You know that, don’t you?”

“Maybe,” Chika allows. “I don’t know why…” She sighs, then turns her gaze upward. “I don’t really know what’s on my mind. I’m sorry.”

Kanan watches as the grey clouds above slowly begin to drop fat flakes of snow down to them. There are just a couple at first, and then they are everywhere, drifting along around them with no reason.

“I didn’t know it was supposed to snow today,” she murmurs.

“Me either,” Chika says, dropping her eyes.

Kanan meets them.

She offers Chika a small smile. “Then, if you don’t know, don’t dwell on it. Thoughts are sort of like ocean waves, you know? They come and they go—and they always come back, eventually, but they vary in size and strength. You don’t have to do anything but ride the wave. Letting it overwhelm you is just about the easiest way to drown yourself. So…”

“I should just let it go for now,” Chika finishes. “You’re right. It’s...weird, I guess. I can’t explain it.”

Kanan simply watches Chika, considering her carefully, and then Chika lets out a small laugh and reaches to open the box.

“Let’s try some of these out, then,” she says brightly, and they do, sat together on a secluded town bench, beneath the first snow of the year.

* * *

“Oh, I see what You-san was saying now!” Mari says cheerfully. “You’re basically being a spy, right?”

“What?”

She waves her hands grandly. “See, because you’re trying to throw Chikacchi off your trail, while still telling her things you want her to know, because you don’t want her to know it’s you. But, well, you know you have to tell her eventually, anyway, right?”

Kanan sighs. “Yeah,” she says. “I do. But I thought maybe things would be...easier, I guess, like this.”

“I just hope you won’t get yourself hurt,” Mari says. “But I know you’re very mature! I trust you completely. So, what did you want me to write here?”

“Dear Chika,” Kanan recites, watching as Mari sticks out her tongue in concentration and begins writing the letter for her, “I can only give you this gift before I reveal to you who I am, so I hope that it will show you my true feelings. I know you’re not one for jewelry, normally, but I hope that, if you wear this, you’ll think of me, and know that it came from someone who loves you dearly. Ever yours, your secret Santa.”

Mari finishes writing the words down, and then looks up to Kanan with a grin. “You’re so cute!” she coos. “What did you buy for her, anyway?”

Kanan scowls. “I’m not cute,” she denies. “And it’s this…” She leans down to dig through her bag, pulling up a small box and then opening its lid. Inside lays a golden locket in the shape of a heart. There’s nothing on the inside yet, but on Christmas Day, Kanan hopes to be able to give Chika the exact picture she would put inside.

Mari gasps, far too animatedly, in Kanan’s opinion.

“Wow!” she cries. “Where did you get this? Was it expensive?”

Kanan tucks it away in her bag again, then faces Mari, face tingling slightly. “I—actually, I bought it around Valentine’s Day, but I got too nervous about giving it. It was on sale, though…”

Mari smiles at her, a little sadly. “I had no idea,” she says. “But you aren’t going to get nervous this time, right? It’s now or never, Kanan!”

She never planned on telling Mari that she had drawn Chika’s name, but, apparently, Mari’s detective skills had gone to an entirely different use than originally intended. It was just yesterday that Mari called to interrogate her about it, and Kanan was forced to admit that, yes, it’s true, she _is_ Chika’s secret Santa. Really, though, Kanan has a sneaking suspicion that Dia may have slipped a word or two out here and there for Mari to hear. Kanan can’t say that “Detective Mari” is really as good at what she does as she wants people to think.

Mari’s right, though. She can’t get nervous now, or Chika will never know how she feels. Besides, she’s about halfway to a love confession by now, anyway, so what will this hurt?

“I won’t get nervous this time,” she says confidently.

Mari cheers. “That’s the spirit! Now, you’d better get home and get this wrapped up, right? I’m guessing this is your last big gift for Chikacchi?”

“There’s one more,” Kanan says.

“Better than this?”

Kanan opens her mouth, then closes it again, stumped. “I hope so?” she offers.

“That sounds a touch suspicious,” Mari says. “What is it? What is it? I won’t tell anybody, promise!”

Kanan rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe that, for some reason.”

Mari pouts at her.

“You’ll find out,” she promises. “Now, can I have that letter? I have to take this stuff to You’s tonight, too.”

Mari hands her the letter, but the playful atmosphere has seeped out of the room entirely, all of a sudden.

“You really won’t back out, right?” Mari asks. “Because, you know, you’re my best friend, and as much as I like to tease you, I know that what you feel for Chikacchi is pretty strong. I don’t want you to get so close to telling her and then get scared.”

Kanan pauses. “I…”

“I’m sure it isn’t easy to feel like you’re in love with someone who only sees you as a best friend, but it isn’t easy to see you tear yourself up over it, either. Don’t fret about it, okay? It’ll work out. If it’s any help, I think that what you’re doing is pretty cool. I’m sure Chikacchi will agree.”

It isn’t often that Mari talks so seriously, and it is this knowledge which forces Kanan to take a deep breath and nod. “Yeah,” she says. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be scared.”

“It’s important that you’re scared,” Mari tells her. “It means that you care.”

And, in a sense, it is sort of like a slap in the face.

She hadn’t thought about things beyond the simplest of ways. Really, in her mind, “scared” is just a reminder that it’s highly unlikely that Chika loves her back. But Mari’s right. It doesn’t have to be any proof that Chika doesn’t feel the same way. Rather, it is affirmation that she cares greatly about how things will turn out.

Well, maybe she is a little bit of a pessimist, from time to time.

Not Mari, though.

And not Chika, either.

Kanan lets out a breathy laugh. “When did you get so wise?” she teases.

Mari giggles. “I don’t know,” she says. “Maybe right around the same time as you started being stupid about something for once in your life.”

“I can’t deny it,” Kanan agrees. “Thank you, Mari”

“Any time.” Mari beams at her. “Now, get out of here and go get ready to give her that gift! I know she’ll love it.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I _know_ I’m right,” Mari insists.

And, on that note, they exchange their farewells, and Kanan heads off to You’s.

The next week or so has been planned out since before Kanan gave Chika her second letter and gift.

You answers the door with a smile and quickly ushers Kanan inside. They head up to You’s room, then spend the next few minutes wrapping up the box and sealing the letter in an envelope. Once they’re finished, You offers Kanan a cup of tea, which she graciously accepts, and they begin discussing the plan for the weekend before Christmas.

“Dia told me we would be making chocolates,” Kanan explains. “She and Ruby-chan do it every year, apparently.”

“That’s so cool!” You enthuses. “That should be a lot of fun, right?”

“I hope so.”

“Ah, and I talked to Dia-san, like you asked me to, and she’s making the arrangements for that day, too.”

“And you’re still able to take the picture, right?”

You nods, beaming.

Kanan breaths out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad,” she says. “I really hope this all works out. I might come out of this seeming like…”

She trails off as she sees You shaking her head.

“No negative thoughts,” You says. “I think you might wind up surprised at how perfectly all this is going to work. If any of us thought Chika-chan didn’t return your feelings, we wouldn’t be helping you like this, right?”

“Right,” Kanan says, but she isn’t sure.

“Trust me,” You assures her. “It’ll turn out fine, Kanan-chan!”

Kanan nods slowly. “I believe you,” she says. “And thank you. I’ll need to find some way to repay you for all this.”

You waves a dismissive hand. “It’s Christmas,” she says. “The season of giving, right? Just consider it my gift to you.”

Kanan’s lips twitch up. “Okay,” she agrees. “Thanks again. And…you’ll get that gift to Chika, right?”

“Of course.”

Kanan finishes her tea, then stands up and offers You a smile. “Then, I should get going. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”

“Definitely!” You chirps. “See you, Kanan-chan!”

As Kanan leaves You’s, she tries to leave her worries at the door. She can’t focus on anything but the present, she reminds herself, and, right now, she just needs to be certain that Chika will receive this gift.

After that?

Well, she’ll just have to see what happens.

* * *

Their final get-together comes far too quickly, but Kanan does everything she can to keep herself from growing nervous about it.

She arrives at the Kurosawas’ a little earlier than the rest, alongside You and Mari.

“We just have to set things up so that the lighting will be good,” You says.

“But somewhere where they’ll definitely wind up together,” Dia reminds her.

“Yeah, but we can always do a little matchmaking, too, right?” Mari presses. “If we have to push them into a corner together, we can!”

“I would prefer if you didn’t,” Kanan says weakly.

“And a corner won’t work, anyway,” You points out. “Bad lighting.”

“What about the doorway?” Dia asks, pointing to the door that leads to the kitchen.

“Would all of us wind up getting caught under it?” You wonders.

“Does it matter?” Mari asks.

“Very true…” You hums. “Well, it could work, but...don’t we want to make the chocolates first?”

“We could just put it up later!” Mari suggests. “If you distract her while she’s making chocolates, Dia and I can sneak out and hang it up.”

“That might work,” Dia says thoughtfully. “What do you think, Kanan-san?”

“I think everything sounds like a terrible idea,” Kanan mutters.

You and Dia stare at her, but Mari simply laughs.

“Don’t be so negative!” she scolds. “It’ll be fine. Here, Dia, go hide that somewhere, and then we’ll wait around for the others to show. Chocolates first, then presents. Right?”

“Right,” Dia says. She catches Kanan’s eyes and shoots her a quick smile. “Don’t worry, Kanan-san. It’ll be fine.”

Still, Kanan’s stomach is churning rather painfully.

You and Mari lead her into the sitting room, though, while Dia goes to hide the catalyst of their plan. Eventually, Dia returns, and they sit around in wait for the other four to arrive.

When Chika, the first of the four to get there, arrives, the first thing Kanan notes is the heart-shaped lockets dangling from her neck. She doesn’t have time to say anything, though, thankfully, before the other three are at the door as well.

It doesn’t take long, and, in no time at all, all nine girls are situated in the kitchen while Dia barks orders at them. They split into teams of two (and one team of three) and half of them work on melting chocolate, while the other half pick out the trays they wish to use to mould their treats.

Dia, Ruby, and Hanamaru are the first to deliver a bowl of fully melted chocolate, and they deliver their work to Chika and Kanan, who immediately set to work putting the chocolate into the trays.

Kanan has chose Christmas trees, but Chika is working with something else—something she won’t let Kanan see, however.

“It’s a surprise!” she said, before, when they were picking the trays out.

Kanan simply laughed and allowed Chika to hide the shapes from her.

Eventually, Chika, Kanan, Yoshiko, and Riko finish shaping the melted chocolates, and Dia directs them outside, where they leave the trays on the back step to chill.

When they get back to the kitchen, they switch roles, and suddenly Kanan and Chika are stuck with a pot, some boiling water, and a bowl of milk chocolate atop it.

“We can’t be impatient,” Kanan reminds Chika, who, though only a couple of minute have passed, is poking at the chocolate with a spoon, eyes narrowed.

Chika sighs, then sets the spoon on the counter and resorts to simply staring at the chocolate, waiting for it to do _something_.

“A watched pot doesn’t boil,” Kanan chastises her.

“It’s already boiling,” she points out.

Kanan laughs. “You know what I mean! Come on, just look away from it for a bit. Then, next time you check, it’ll be more melted than it was before.”

“But I can’t look anywhere else!” Chika complains.

“Look at Riko-san and Yoshiko-san,” Kanan suggests.

In contrast to Chika and Kanan’s little set-up, Riko and Yoshiko seem to be having some sort of competition. They’re handling two slightly smaller pots, so that there is enough chocolate for the other five girls to use. However, as Kanan and Chika watch, Yoshiko gives her chocolate a grand stir, then cries out, “Yohane is a master chocolatier! You’ll never be able to beat her!”

Riko looks rather smug, though. “What if I told you _my_ chocolate was already basically melted?”

“W-what?!”

Riko gives it another stir, not saying another word, while Yoshiko presses her to say more, sounding a little whiny.

Kanan looks down to their own chocolate, then reaches past Chika to grab for the spoon and stir it up a bit. It’s about half melted, she guesses, but as she pulls the spoon out, some of the melted chocolate comes flying off the spoon and lands squarely on her nose.

She blinks, crossing her eyes in an attempt to see, while Chika giggles beside her.

“How did you manage that?” Chika wonders, and Kanan goes to open her mouth to respond, but—

Chika takes a step closer, craning her neck ever-so-slightly, and then presses her lips against Kanan’s nose.

Kanan inhales sharply, then holds her breath, heart hammering in her chest.

“There,” Chika murmurs, taking a short step back and licking her lips. “All gone.”

Did Chika just...kiss the chocolate off her nose?

She watches, dazed, as Chika takes the spoon again and pokes at their chocolate. Slowly, almost mechanically, she lifts a hand to her face, brushing a confused finger against her nose. There’s a bit of chocolate left, but, for the most part, it has been completely removed.

It takes a moment, to register, and then every part of her, every _fibre of her being_ , fills with _embarrassment_.

If Chika notices, she doesn’t say a word, more focussed on their melting chocolate than anything, and Kanan takes the time to breathe deeply and relax herself.

By the time Chika turns to her again, she _thinks_ she has everything under control.

And then Chika smiles, and her heart is suddenly leaping all over again.

“It’s almost done,” Chika says brightly. “Just another minute or two, probably!”

Kanan nods, breathless.

Chika turns back to their chocolate, watching intently, and Kanan cannot find the words to tell her off, this time.

Soon, the chocolate is all melted, and the other girls begin pouring it into their trays. As they do so, Dia tells Kanan that the other chocolates are probably solid by now.

“It’s freezing out,” she says. “And if they’re not, they should be in just another five or so minutes. Do you want to go check them?”

So, Kanan leads the three other girls out, and they return with their solid chocolates.

They use the other side of the counter to carefully get the chocolates out of the trays, and, finally, Kanan sees what shape Chika was making.

“They’re hearts!” she declares, holding one up cheerfully. “Guess who I made them for?”

“Well, not Shiitake, I hope,” Kanan tries.

Chika chuckles. “Nope! Guess again! I’ll give you two more.”

Kanan thinks about it for a moment. “Your sisters?”

Chika shakes her head.

“You?”

Chika shakes her head again. “They’re for you, silly!”

Kanan’s sure her heart stops.

Chika’s face falls. “Is...is that bad?” she asks. “Y-you don’t have to accept them if—”

“I want them!” Kanan practically shouts, and then winces at her own tone and takes in a deep breath. “I want them,” she says again, quieter, firmer.

Chika exhales shakily, then offers her a smile. “I’m glad,” she says softly.

She reaches her hand out, one of the chocolates in her palm, and Kanan takes it, biting into it slowly, savouring the moment and the way Chika is watching her, eyes wide with wonderment and joy.

“We’ll take these out and then do our gift exchange, okay?” Dia calls. “We’ll leave the chocolates in here to get later, and, for now, we’ll head out to the sitting room.”

Everyone excitedly nods, flooding out of the kitchen quickly.

Kanan, Chika, Riko, and Yoshiko sit down in the sitting room, and the other five join them shortly. Suddenly, they are in an odd remix of the same circle they were in almost four full weeks ago.

“Okay!” Dia claps her hands together, drawing everyone’s attention to her. “Mari-san, you go first.”

“I’m flattered,” Mari says, grinning. Suddenly, she whirls to face Kanan, and there is a small, wrapped box in her hands. She holds it out, here eyes lighting up softly. “For you,” she says. “Merry Christmas, Kanan.”

Kanan’s lips twitch up, and she takes the gift gingerly, pulling the golden ribbon that Mari has tied around it off before working on the wrapping paper. Once it’s off, she takes a look inside the box, and her heart almost stops.

“Mari, oh my God.”

“I saw it and immediately thought of you,” Mari tells her. “It’s basically made for you!”

Kanan carefully lifts the necklace from the box. Dangling from the silver chain is a dolphin of the same colour, with emerald eyes.

“Thank you,” Kanan breathes. “It’s beautiful.”

Mari helps her put it on, and then they begin moving around the circle, counter clockwise. Dia gives a gift to Hanamaru, and then Ruby gives one to Riko. As the circle comes to Yoshiko, who was the secret Santa of You, Mari suddenly declares, “I’ll be right back!”

She hurries to her feet, and then hurries away, leaving everyone staring after her as she disappears down the hall.

“Where did she go, zura?” Hanamaru questions worriedly.

Dia lets out a noise of exasperation, then stands and says, “Well, if we’re taking a break, I’ll go check on our chocolates and bring them in if they’re finished.”

“She’s using the washroom,” You invents as Dia leaves, too. “She’s just kinda weird like that. Probably just an embarrassment thing, you know?”

“All we can do is wait,” Kanan agrees.

Which is exactly what they do, and, eventually, Dia returns, hurrying by with five trays of solid chocolates precariously balances on top of one another. Nobody dares to speak up and offer their help, instead simply letting her pass by and enter the kitchen wordlessly.

As Dia goes into the kitchen, the rest of the girls turn to each other, all looking rather lost.

“I’m sure she won’t be long,” Kanan offers. “Mari, on the other hand…”

“No kidding,” You mutters. “What is she doing?”

“She probably got distracted,” Kanan says quickly. “You know Mari…”

It’s something all of them—even Hanamaru and Yoshiko—can agree on.

Soon enough, though, both girls have returned—together, at that, to everyone’s perplexation.

Kanan wipes her palms against her pants anxiously, but Dia is sitting down and calling everything back to order before anybody can say a word, and the gift exchange is on full swing all over again.

Next, Hanamaru passes a gift to Yoshiko, and then Riko gives her gift to Mari. Suddenly, they are almost at the end of their circle, but as everyone turns their expectant eyes on You, she lets out a nervous-sounding laugh.

“I left my gift in the kitchen,” she explains. “I’ll go grab it really quickly, and while I’m gone, Chika-chan can gift her gift. I already know what it is and who it’s for, anyway.” She winks, then hastens to stand and make her way to the kitchen.

All eyes turn to Chika, suddenly.

She passes a gift along to Dia, smiling brightly. “Merry Christmas, Dia-san.”

Dia smiles back at her, then begins opening her gift. Kanan knows what it is, too, a box of chocolates and a wonderfully soft cashmere sweater, but before Dia can get it completely opened, there is a loud _crash_ from the kitchen.

A few seconds later, You’s voice faintly cries out, “Help!”

Everyone goes to stand, but Kanan shakes her head quickly. “It’s okay!” she insists. “Chika and I can deal with it. Too many of us might cause more of a problem.”

“That’s true,” Mari chirps, as Kanan and Chika get to their feet. “All things in moderation is important!”

Kanan’s heart is beating very fast, but she chooses not to dwell on it, instead watching that she stays close by Chika’s side as they come to the doorway of the kitchen.

And, in not enough time at all, they get there.

Inside the kitchen, You stands, a large pot at her feet and her hands behind her back.

“How did you—?” Chika starts, and then cuts off as You raises a hand to point at something dangling in the doorway.

Chika and Kanan both look up to see the piece of mistletoe Kanan knows Dia and Mari positioned their earlier.

“Oh,” Chika says weakly, lowering her gaze to meet Kanan’s.

Kanan laughs awkwardly. “How in the world did this get here?” she wonders.

Chika lets out a soft snort of laughter, and, before Kanan can say another word, closes the already small gap between them and presses their lips together in a gentle kiss.

Kanan swears time stops around them.

This wasn’t part of the plan, she thinks anxiously, and then she realizes that this is so much _better_ than the plan, and she takes her hands to Chika’s waist, pulling her closer, while Chika’s arms find their way to Kanan’s shoulders.

They are interrupted by a flash and an enthusiastic crowd of cheers.

They pull away slowly, and Chika’s cheeks are about as pink as Kanan thinks hers are, but they don’t lose eye contact for a very long moment.

Finally, Kanan manages, “Merry Christmas, Chika.”

Chika’s lips twitch up into a smile slowly. “I knew it was you,” she says quietly, reaching a hand up to grasp the locket tightly. “I knew it.”

Kanan looks to You, who is beaming at them and holding a thumbs-up, as if assuring her that she got that picture and it’s good.

She looks back to Chika, letting out a shaky breath. “Was I that predictable?” she asks, trying for a laugh.

Chika shakes her head. “It wasn’t that. It was more of a feeling, I guess.” She looks down at her feet, shuffling them slightly. “Or—or maybe I just really, really _wanted_ it to be you.”

Kanan’s face stings something fierce.

Chika looks up again, and she wears a dazzling smile. “I’m really glad it was you, Kanan-chan.”

The words _me too_ rise on Kanan’s lips, ready to be spoken, and then—

Instead, she blurts, “I love you.”

This time, the crash from the kitchen is genuine, as You drops the camera and it hits the pot on the floor. She curses, then dives to grab it.

“It’s okay!” she cries, but Kanan isn’t listening to her, instead completely focussed on Chika, on the bright look in her eyes, and the slightly surprised part of her lips.

“Y-yeah,” Chika says. “I love you too, Kanan-chan!”

Kanan lets out a breath of relief, then wraps Chika tightly in her arms, inhaling that familiar scent of orange that she loves, that she _loves_ , so much, more than anything else.

“Merry Christmas,” she whispers against Chika’s hair.

Chika returns the hug with equal enthusiasm, and they stand like that for quite some time—maybe it is minutes, maybe it is hours; Kanan doesn’t knows, and she doesn’t _care_ —until Kanan finally takes a step back, unable to keep from smiling.

“This isn’t your gift, though,” she says. “That locket—it doesn’t have a picture in it, right?”

Chika nods, and then a look of realization covers her face, and they both turn to face You at the same time.

“It’s a really good picture!” You cries. “Come look!”

They do, and the other girls all hurry in behind them, everyone trying to get a look at the picture.

And—You is absolutely correct.

In the picture, Chika’s hands are wrapped around Kanan’s shoulders, and one of her feet is kicked up, while Kanan has a tight hold on her hips. Both of their eyes are closed, and their heads are tilted at the somehow perfect angle for the picture. The mistletoe above them is perfectly visible, and the background is blurry, so the only focus is Chika and Kanan and their kiss.

“Wow,” Chika breathes. “This is incredible, You-chan!” She looks up to Kanan, smiling widely. “Thank you, Kanan-chan!”

“There was one more thing,” Kanan says. “But, ah…”

“Right,” Dia speaks up. “You-san still has to give her gift, so let’s go back out and wrap the exchange up.”

Everyone nods their agreement and they all hurry out of the kitchen, leaving only Kanan and Chika behind.

Kanan takes the final letter from her pocket, which she penned herself, this time, and passes it to Chika.

Chika takes it carefully, opening it slowly.

“Dear Chika,” she reads aloud, and Kanan holds her breath.

“When I pulled your name for this draw, I was ecstatic,” Chika continues. “I figured that this would finally be my chance to tell you how I feel. And if you’re reading this now, I definitely succeeded!” Chika pauses, letting out a soft, adorable laugh. “I’ve been trying to get the courage for a long time, but I was always terrified of changing things. But, honestly, I’m glad I followed through this time. I’m far from a romantic, but, Chika, you mean the absolute world to me. There’s nobody I love more, and certainly nobody I would rather spend my holidays with. Ever yours, signed with love, Kanan.”

Chika looks up to her, eyes shining.

With tears, Kanan realizes in alarm.

“Chika?”

Chika raises a hand to wipe her eyes, and then laughs.

“This is so surreal,” she admits. “Kanan-chan, you’re adorable.”

Kanan feels her face heat up. “I—I am not!”

“You are!” Chika insists. “The adorablest!”

“Ugh, _Chika_ ,” Kanan moans, covering her red face with her hands.

Chika just laughs again, though. “I’m serious. How did I get so lucky?” she asks, tone teasing.

Kanan splutters.

Chika grins. “Really,” she says. “I love you, Kanan-chan.”

Kanan exhales slowly, then drops her hands. “I love you, too,” she says thickly.

Chika leans forward and presses their lips together again. As she does, the letter falls from her hands, fluttering down to the floor gracelessly.

When they separate, they grin at each other, and then burst into laughter all over again.

“This,” Chika tells her, once she has stopped laughing, “is the best gift I ever could’ve asked for.”

“Yeah,” Kanan says, feeling more than a little breathless. “Me too.”

This time, when their lips meet, it is Kanan that incites the action.

She couldn’t have wished for a happier Christmas if she tried.

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are always appreciated! xx


End file.
